Mounting structure for power control unit

• US 9,210,829 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hotta, Yutaka, Uechi, Tatsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Dion R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buttar, Mandeep
• Application Number:
  US13/980,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361/713, 361/716, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20218 using a liquid coolant without phase change in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A PCU (20) comprises an anchoring pedestal (22) that is attached to the opening of a transaxle and that has been molded from resin so as to be formed integrally with a terminal block (21); a cooler (27) that is disposed on top of the anchoring pedestal (22) and that has a power module; a heat-conductive board stay (14) connected to the top of the cooler (27); and a control board (29) connected to the top of the board stay (14). This mounting structure is configured such that by disposing the board stay (14) near a cooling tube (17a) for introducing coolant cooled by a radiator and by attaching the stay to the cooler (27) via a heat-dissipating sheet (61a) for actively conducting heat from the control board, the control board (29) is cooled by the coolant before the coolant has absorbed heat. Thus, the pressure elevation converter and inverter that form the power control unit and the motor are housed as a single component inside one case and the coolability of the control board disposed at the top of the power control unit can be ensured.

Claims

1. A power control unit mounting structure, employed to mount, on a motor case in which a rotary electric machine that drives a vehicle is housed, a power control unit that controls the rotary electric machine,

wherein the power control unit includes

an anchoring pedestal, molded by employing a resin, that is attached to an opening of the motor case,

a cooler that is disposed on the anchoring pedestal, and that has a power module,

a heat-conductive board mounting base connected to a top of the cooler,

a control board connected to a top of the board mounting base,

a cover that is made of a thin metal plate and covers the entire power control unit,

a first heat insulating chamber provided between the anchoring pedestal and the cooler, and

a second heat insulating chamber provided between the cooler and the cover,

wherein a transfer of heat from the motor case to the power control unit is restricted by the anchoring pedestal, the first and second heat insulating chambers, and the cover to prevent increase of a temperature for the control board.

2. The power control unit mounting structure according to claim 1,

wherein the board mounting base attached to the cooler is connected to a vicinity of a coolant introduction side so as to enable a transfer of heat;

and

wherein the control board is connected so as to enable a transfer of heat via the board mounting base to the cooler.

3. The power control unit mounting structure according to claim 2,

wherein the anchoring pedestal includes

a thin plate, made of metal, for suppressing a transfer of heat between the cooler and the anchoring pedestal, and

fixing means for fastening together the cooler, the thin plate, and the anchoring pedestal;

and

wherein the thin plate defines a space in conjunction with the cooler, and is to be cooled by the cooler.

4. The power control unit mounting structure according to claim 3, wherein the cover is mounted on a flange portion of the motor case arranged to enclose the anchoring pedestal, and is employed to suppress a transfer of heat from the motor case to the power control unit.